White Winter
by Qamenka
Summary: Two lonely persons, so different, yet so alike. They accidentally meet in a newly opened café. So, how do they help each other to cope with life? A Mai&Joey... UPDATED CHAPTER 2
1. Facing Reality

Summary: Two lonely persons, so different, yet so alike. They accidentally meet in a newly opened café. So, how do they help each other to cope with life? A Mai/Joey...  
  
Disclaimer: As far as I know I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any parts of it. Poor me! However, I do own my original characters should their be any!  
  
A/N: So, this is my first Y-G-O fanfic. As stated it's a Mai/Joey. Why? Dunno... I think they're an awfully cute couple. If ya don't agree on that, don't even read this, cuz I bloody hate those people who read a fic even if they don't agree on the pairing or the themes it is about or whatever and afterwards say it's the author's fault. It sure as hell isn't! Of course I do accept it when people tell me that I could improve because... you get the idea? If you review and want to complain about the fic than be reasonable. Oh yeah, one last thing: My mother tongue aien't English, it's German, there might be some grammar mistakes. If there are, tell me and I'll try to solve the problem. Alright then, please read, enjoy and review. I want at least 15 reviews or else I give up on this story.  
  
Note: '...' - a person talks to him- or herself "..." - actual speaking I know that Mai is probably older than Joey, but in this fanfic she isn't. Both of them are seventeen and should I mention that they wait for their next birthday desperately?! As I said I'm German, so I really don't know Japanese café's prices. Whenever there's price mentioned it'll be 'Euro'!  
1 Euro = 1,13 US Dollar  
  
Joey groaned as his alarm clock went off. With one swift, almost trained move of his right hand, he pushed it from the nightstand and sighed blissfully as he heard the noisy collision with the floor. The annoying beeping sound vanished and as if nothing had happened the blonde haired boy rolled over and fell asleep again. Exactly 6 minutes and 23 seconds later he was woke again. This time by his father, bursting into his room without hesitation. However, he would probably never dare to do that again, because whatever had been in his mind that had given him the idea of waking the young man had been eliminated the moment he laid eyes on two people inside his son's bed, a bed made for one person...  
  
It was three days before, when Joey was woken, early in the morning, by a loud crashing sound that came from the living room. 'What is it this time?' he asked himself unhappily as he got up and pulled a pair of boxers, as well as an old T-shirt on. He felt the cold air against his bare arms and legs but decided he'd change into something more warming after he had checked out what had happened in the room below. Slowly he opened the door and as his eyes had adjusted to the unnerving dark, he crept out of his room, almost hoping it wasn't his father he had heard, but some burglar. 'Nice one!' he commented himself, 'as if there's a chance it isn't dad.' Nervously Joey felt his way to the stairs and then grabbed the banisters in order to not accidentally slip. He counted the stairs and concentrated hard on not making any noises at all. He knew that he'd be doomed if he did. Still he had chills running down his spine, caused by the freezing temperature. 'He must've forgotten to put in the heating again.' Nearing the stairwell Joey tried to keep his breath under control, that started to become ragged. He was unsure if he should really do this or just go up into his room again and lock the door. 'No I'm no fucking coward. Say what you want about me but I'm sure as hell no coward.' With a cleared mind he continued his way through the dark flat he and his father lived in. All the blinds inside the living room where shut, as Joey entered, trying to see anything but black. He heard someone groan and mumble something but couldn't make out where the voice came from. Knowing that there wouldn't be any development in the situation if he'd just wait for something to happen he turned to the right, felt for the light switch and winced as it turned on. Covering his eyes from the blinding light, Joey searched the room for the person he'd heard. It had been his father, who lay on the ground next to a broken table he'd probably fallen into. 'That's my pocket money.' was the blondes first thought as he went to pick up some things of the floor which where scattered around the fallen man. Holding a bundle of keys, a frame with a picture of his mother and little sister inside, a lighter and a packet of cigarettes he started to walk to the dining-table to set down the items, but was stopped by a hand that grabbed his ankle. "Joey, is that you, son?" the drunken man asked, breathing hard and sending a cloud of bad breath into Joey's face, who flinched. "Yeah, it's me father. Just lemme put those things away and I'll be back right away, 'kay?" he said and pulled himself free from his father's grasp. He wasn't afraid of him anymore, not right now at least. The old man was too drunk to stand properly and was no danger. As promised he made his way back to his father after he put the few things he had picked up on the table. It was hard to get the quite heavy man onto the couch, but he managed somehow and then sat himself in an arm-chair next to it. "You know, you really shouldn't drink that much father. It aien't doing any good to you, just look at yourself: your life's fucked up, even your son's life is fucked up..." Joey didn't really think his father had heard him, no actually he had thought that the toper was asleep already and much to his surprise he saw him lift up his head enough to stare into his son's face. "Watch what you say boy!" the man slurred and lifted a hand as if to slap Joey. But before he finished his move his features softened and he instantly began to snore, his hand lying on top of Joey's knee, whose eyes were big in fright. It wasn't the momentarily situation as he knew his father would never be able to really hurt him in a state like this, but memories of similar events with a different ending raced through his mind. Almost as if awakening from a trance he got up from his seating position twenty minutes later and watched as his father's hand fell to the floor. He shivered as he made his way upstairs and knew that he'd probably caught a cold, wearing nothing more than his underwear and a T-shirt during winter. Stepping into his room, Joey looked around, searching the floor for something to wear. It wouldn't be true if told that he was an extremely chaotic person, though, but he always said to himself that it was just sick to keep his room neat and clean, when after all he already cleaned most of the flat, excluding his father's bedroom and bathroom. So after he had found himself something more suitable to wear, a navy-blue sweater and his most treasured pair of jeans, the blonde headed towards the door of his bathroom. No more than ten minutes later he emerged from it again, wearing the clothes he had picked out and the clock on his nightstand just turned ten as the young man left the flat, keys in his right hand, a stack of Duel Monster Cards in his left and some money in his pocket. He had hurried and tried to be out as fast as possible, for he knew the moment his father awoke he'd have lost the opportunity to leave unharmed. Sighing Joey began to walk, putting his Cards and keys in his jacket's pockets. He didn't know where exactly to go, but let his feet carry him. 'Wherever...' he thought, 'anywhere is better than at home.'  
  
At the same time Mai Valentine stormed out of her house. She, as well, hadn't any idea to where she would go, but decided that anywhere would be better than at home. Her normally clear eyes were puffy and red from crying but Mai didn't really care about that when she decided that she wouldn't listen to another one of her parents' arguments. Ever since she was little her parents would have disagreements but in the last few years it had changed. More violent comments were thrown from either side and Mai didn't dare to interfere anymore. The few times she did, her parents suddenly blamed it all on her and even if both of them tried to apologize afterwards the painful memory never really did vanish. The beautiful blonde made her way through the park that lay near to her house and ignored the confused stares the few people, who already took a walk, gave her. She had stopped crying the moment she stepped into the fresh winter air and even though she shivered, only wearing a sweater and no jacket, the young woman enjoyed the freezing feeling that made her feel numb inside, as if there was nothing to worry about. A little while later she came to the end of the park and from there made her way to the center of Domino City. She knew that the stores wouldn't have opened so early, but she had little money anyway. It was a little more than half an hour later when she turned around a corner, suddenly standing in front of a small house. 'Yugi's grandfather's game-shop!' she realized. Mai knew she would be welcome if she only had the courage to ring the bell. Yugi. As well as his grandfather and of course the boy's weird second personality would do everything to help her overcome her problems. And Mai was sure that they wouldn't ask questions. Still, the young woman shook the thought of asking Yugi for help of. 'No, I'm no coward. I don't hide from every little problem there may be and especially I won't hide behind Yugi. He shouldn't have to deal with more problems than he already has himself.' So, Mai turned around and decided for another way to go. During the time she walked she saw the post-man in a thick winter-jacket speeding from house to house on his bike. 'Probably wants to go home as fast as possible. Back to his wife who'll make him a hot chocolate and some pancakes.' The young woman thought and sighed. She did not want to go back home, but her rumbling stomach told her that she was quite hungry indeed. 'I don't have much money with me, but it'll do.' she decided and smiled, as her feet had already carried her, in front of a small café which had opened for breakfast.  
  
A few streets away Joey considered visiting Yugi. He was hungry since he hadn't eaten anything this morning. Still, he decided against a visit, for he was sure that Yugi, his grandfather and Yugi's second personality would realize that something was wrong and even though Joey knew they would do anything to help him, he didn't want their help this time. The young man decided to go home neither. His father was probably up by now and a beating wouldn't help the other wounds to heal. Sighing he made his way, not really watching where he went, but he smiled as he saw the post- man, happily whistling, driving away on his bike. 'He's probably finished carrying out the post and is on his way back home. There his wife already waits with some pancakes and hot cacao.' In his thoughts Joey congratulated the unknown man to the nice wife and nice home life he had and just then noticed that he was in some part of the city he didn't know. Turning around in order to find something, really anything he'd know, Joey saw a small café on the other side of the street, which had obviously opened for breakfast. He didn't even think about it as he made his way over the street and stood in front of the door that would lead him inside. Reaching out Joey thought that the little money he had would hopefully be enough. 'Oh well, if it aien't enough I'll just ask if I could come back tomorrow and pay them back.' Pulling his hands out of his pockets he reached for the door and opened it. He was surprised by the comfy atmosphere the small café had. Old armchairs and couches were set up, as well as antique tables. 'The whole interior is antique.' Joey realized and made his way inside.  
  
Mai had heard the door getting opened about two minutes after she had seated herself. The waiter, an old man, had already taken her order moments ago. He looked nice and the young woman was reminded of her grandfather, the only man she had always enjoyed being around. 'Seems I was the only one he enjoyed being around as well.' By her parents called an old, grumpy fool he had left all of his money, which was quite a lot, for Mai. Sadly enough he had already died, leaving the money in her parents' hands, for she herself hadn't turned eighteen yet. The money had been used for her parents' needs. Mai's mother had bought herself a car and lots of jewelry and her father had invested his half into his corporation, which by now, earned him good money. 'Well, at least that corporation is my heritage as well. If my father doesn't have any other children I don't know of...' Mai thought sadly and shifted in her seat to see who had come in seconds ago. Not really thinking she blurted out the young man's name, who stood a few feet away, contemplating where to sit down. "Joey?"  
  
A/N: Okay, that's the first chapter. I really don't know when I'll update but it'll probably be on the weekend. Anyway, pwetty pwetty pwetty pwease review, I've an instable mind and you wouldn't want me to do something drastic, right? ^.~ Tada. 


	2. Healing Hearts

Summary: Two lonely persons, so different, yet so alike. They accidentally meet in a newly opened café. So, how do they help each other to cope with life? A Mai/Joey...

Disclaimer: As far as I know I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any parts of it. Poor me! However, I _do_ own my original characters should their be any!

A/N: And here's the second chapter! I just finished it and wanted to post it. Still I've to say I'm kind of sad… ,~.~,

I got exactly three reviews for my first chappie. However those were really nice ones and I thank you guys for being so friendly. (Kisses and hugs go out to Seto's Magician Chick, moonman and Loona)

Oh well, I've to admit I've already started a new story. But that one won't be posted until this story's finished. I just tell you it'll be a Yami-Bakura/Tèa story, but with some Mai/Jou in it, too. I just can't resist those two. 

They're sooo cute together, though I think my Mai and my Joey might be a little bit out of character. BUT after all they both have been through a lot.

Anyway, please read, enjoy and I beg you review *makes puppy eyes*. Everyone who does will get…. Um lemme think… how about a cookie? *hehe* (Read my bio and you know what I'm talking about… o_o' *tehe*) And now, on with the story and I'm sorry if this chappie is a bit shorter, I expected it to be a bit longer, but… aahh screw it…

Note:

- '...' - a person talks to him- or herself

- "..." - actual speaking

- I know that Mai is probably older than Joey, but in this fanfic she isn't. Both of them are seventeen and should I mention that they wait for their next birthday desperately?!

- As I said I'm German, so I really don't know Japanese café's prices. Whenever there's price mentioned it'll be 'Euro'! 

1 Euro = 1,13 US Dollar

Last time:

Mai had heard the door getting opened about two minutes after she had seated herself.

…

Not really thinking she blurted out the young man's name, who stood a few feet away, contemplating where to sit down.

"Joey?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He obviously hadn't seen her until then and his eyes widened in surprise as he turned around to her.

"Mai!" he exclaimed smiling and walked over to her.

"How've you been?" he asked, still standing and seemingly uncomfortable.

Mai on the other hand was at least as much surprised as him.

"Quite well!" she lied and continued, "and what about yourself? Why don't you sit down, Joey? I don't bite, you know."

Shifting again so she'd have a better view on him, Mai wondered why Joey suddenly walked back to where he had been standing before. But she understood and sighed at her own stupidity as he got out of his jacket and hung it over a hook on a wall near the door. She then watched the young man sit down in the arm-chair beside hers and frowned as she saw him flinch slightly and grab his right side as he did so. The mask of happiness he put on only seconds after that incident was perfected though and Mai sensed that it wasn't her place to ask him any questions she didn't want to be asked as well.

"Good," Joey replied then, breaking her out of her trance and she briefly wondered what she had said that deserved an answer.

'Oh dear, yeah I asked him how he was... dear me, who would have thought that I'm already that fucked.'

"Mai? Mai?" Joey asked as he realized that the young woman didn't notice the waiter, who had arrived just then with her breakfast.

"Yeah, what is it?" she asked, smiling sweetly and looking kind of confused at the man next to her.

"Your breakfast!" he replied, grinning and trying to keep from snickering. Mai on the other hand was embarrassed and blushing madly while she thanked the waiter and asked him for some milk for her tea.

"Right away!" the gray-haired man said and smiled kindly at the young woman, before turning to the male.

"May I take your order?" the old man asked and watched Joey as he eyed Mai's breakfast suspiciously and then looked up with a glint in his eyes.

"How much is that?" he asked and pointed at the pancakes.

"The small breakfast, which includes three small pancakes, marmalade, coffee, tea or cacao and one glass orange juice, is 4 Euro. That's our special opening price. But," the man leaned down to Joey and whispered, "since you two lovebirds are our first guests ever, this is for free." 

Smiling the man walked away to get Mai's milk and left a dumbfounded, flushed Joey to stare out the window. Mai had started with her breakfast, oblivious to Joey, who tried to not look at the old man again as he brought the milk.

It was a little while later that he brought Joey's breakfast and only about ten minutes after that when both, Mai as well as Joey finished.

"You're one fast eater." Mai said and watched the young man who looked peaceful and sleepy, with dark shadows around his eyes. 

"You look like crap!" she continued to state the obvious.

"Geez, thanks a lot, Miss Perfect." Joey replied frowning and closed his eyes after he looked her over but didn't find one flaw in her attire.

'Damn it! Even when she's without make-up she looks great, no come-back for me that is.' He rubbed his temples and felt that soon he'd have to deal with a bad headache.

Hearing Mai sigh he popped one eye open again and saw the young woman looking not like her usual spunky self.

"You know," she started, "that's not true!"

"What are ya talking 'bout?" Joey asked and looked up to see Mai hunched over and looking like a lost child. He was worried to say the least and hoped desperately that she'd speak up and tell him that she had lost her favorite lipstick but not what he believed almost intuitively.

"It's my parents!" Mai whispered more to herself than to him. 

"They're always arguing and since my mom slapped my dad a few months ago both of them have started to become violent against each other." Mai leaned forward and hugged her knees as a lone tear made it's way across her cheek. 

She didn't know why she'd told this guy what had happened and she wondered why that guy had to be Joey Wheeler, whom until now had never done anything to earn her trust.

'He's stupid, insensitive, violent himself and now he'll make fun of me for crying over something like that. The jerk, he'll pay if...'

But her thoughts ended abruptly when she felt a pair of arms around her, pressing her to the man's chest whom she'd just called insensitive.

Mai opened her eyes but didn't see much more than his blue sweater, though she felt his left hand holding her tightly and his right stroking the base of her neck.

"I wish I could tell ya it's alright, Mai... but that just wouldn't be true." 

His voice broke her out of her trance and the shock the feeling of his arms around her had had evolved.

As more tears started to flow, Mai chuckled at the same time, slightly amused despite the serious situation. Joey who had heard the small sound escape her looked down at her quizzically, wondering if the girl had lost it.

"It's just strange," Mai said when she felt him loosen his grip on her and while she searched for the right words to explain what she meant, she brought her arms around the man in front of her as well and hold him tenderly for she remembered his pained features earlier, when he sat down. She was happy to feel him not moving further away from her.

'Yes, a man...' Mai mused, 'He's grown up it seems. I wonder, I really wonder what has happened over the last year and a half...'

"You know, woman sometimes you speak in riddles." She heard him mutter and smiled slightly.

"I've a name, Joseph, so use it and by the way, you know exactly what I'm talking about. It's weird that we meet here in this café, early in the morning when half of the people in town are still asleep. We haven't met each other for over a year and yet it seems like we've been... good friends for a long time. Actually I do believe we've had the first, real conversation ever and there I already go and tell you all of my problems." 

Mai sighed when she finished with a bitter tone in her voice but at the same time leaned back into the warm body holding her.

'It just feels right, like it's okay...' she excused herself.

Joey on the other hand thought about what she had told him. Of course he had have the same feeling, from the moment on she had called him when he had had entered earlier.

Not loosening his grip on her, he looked out the window again.

It had started to snow. Big snow-flakes drifted down to the earth where they slowly started to build a white, cold blanket, covering everything beneath under it's beauty. 

"Wanna go for a walk?" he asked the woman in his arms and looked down, for even kneeing on the ground he was a bit larger than her.

'I didn't notice that she's that small!'

Suddenly afraid to break the blonde he loosened his embrace and vowed to himself that he would never hurt her, physically or mentally and everyone who dared to hurt her would pay dearly for it.

He felt her shift and then look up at him smiling.

"Yeah, let's go. But we still have to pay for the breakfast." Mai replied, as she hadn't heard what the old waiter had had told Joey, who know couldn't keep from grinning from ear to ear.

"Nah..." he said, "That old guy told me that we could eat for free, since we're the first guests he's ever had. Seems this place just opened today."

Leaving the part with the lovebirds out Joey stood up, taking Mai with him. Both of them pulled out of the embrace and Mai smiled even wider.

"That's good! I don't have much money left, anyway." She confided and watched Joey fetch his jacket.

"Neither do I." he told her and then looked at her strangely.

"Don't you have a jacket with you? It's freezing out there, you can't tell me you went out with just your sweater on." He said and noticed that she didn't dare look into his eyes.

"You ran away, didn't you?" he groaned that he hadn't noticed earlier and at the same time got back, out of his jacket, pushing it into her hands. He didn't even look back as he strode out, knowing she wouldn't take the offer if he gave her a chance to say no. 

Waiting in the cold, Joey thought of his father.

'I just hope he sleeps until evening, then he won't even bother with me and go back to that bar where he meets his drinking-comrades.'

A few seconds later the door to the café opened once more and out came Mai, wearing Joey's jacket, which was way too big for her.

'Damn, she looks cute like that.' Was all the blonde male could think as she stood there in front of him.

"Could you stop staring, Joey?" Mai snapped as she saw him looking at her with glazed eyes. 

She wasn't angry at him, actually kind of flustered which confused her even more.

'This is Joey! Okay, he isn't a stupid, insensitive jerk, but the real question is what _is_ he to me...?' she realized and turned away from him to walk into the center of Domino City, she knew Joey was walking next to her.

A long time neither spoke a word. None of them knew where they could go to and just kept walking while they thought about each other.

Joey was trying to find a way he could help Mai out of her depressed state and Mai was wondering how Joseph Wheeler could have become a mystery to her, something he had never been before.

It was Joey who broke the silence finally, after about an hour of walking around aimlessly.

"We should head to the shopping center, it isn't far from here." He said and looked at Mai, waiting for a reply. She nodded her head, stopping anymore thoughts of Joey, deciding that the original was way more interesting than what she could come up with in her thoughts or memories for that matter.

"Yeah, let's get inside." She told him and turned her head to look at him.

Hands in his jeans-pockets, his hair full of white snow and chattering teeth he walked next to her. And Mai cursed herself for forgetting her own jacket and taking his.

Blushing slightly, which went unnoticed as her cheeks where already a rosy color from the cold air, Mai grabbed Joey's arm and giggled as he looked down at her startled.

"What?" she asked defensively and looked sure of herself, but inside she wondered why she was doing this. 

'He is Joey after all and it has been him who wanted to give me his jacket but the main question is why does he has this kind of effect on  me. I feel like I'm some innocent girl again, who has never had a boyfriend and now doesn't know what to do...'.

That she had just called him her boyfriend didn't even grace her mind.

The teenagers hurried over the pavement as fast as they could without risking to slip on the slightly frozen snow and in less than three minutes they reached the shopping center, stopping in front of it to look at the Christmas decorations.

Everywhere they looked where lights, on top of the building stood many Christmas-trees and a mechanical Santa Clause waved at the customers with a smile on his thick plastic-lips.

 All in all Mai and Joey were in awe but as the young woman caught sight of Joey, by now tinted lightly blue, she dragged him along into the big building.

Inside it was warm and smelled like Christmas-cookies, which brought a hopeful gleam into Joey's eyes. After all he still had his money.

The pair walked through the palace like building and while Mai stopped almost everywhere to look at a new dress, the latest perfume or jewelry, Joey let his nose lead them nearer and nearer to the food-hall.

A/N: Soooo… second chapter done… I've a feeling it should have been longer. *sigh* 

Oh well… 

Hmm… anyway, I decided that I want to have an online-diary myself. I just don't know where to get one for free. You guys have any idea? If so, please tell me.

Okay, I' gotta do something else now... 

*laughs insanely while looking over to her plans of taking over this world* eh right... 

*smiles sweetly while watching the little Bakura and Malik plushies sitting right next to those plans and her cookies*

Qamenka: Why you two little plushies??? Did you dare to come near my cookies????

... ... ... ...


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